I promised to update my blog awhile ago, but have been caught up in preparation efforts.  I promise to be more diligent once I get rolling.

48 hours until the start of the 2014 Woman Tours Southern Tier Cross Country adventure.  I am currently aboard Southwest about an hour outside of San Diego!  Amazing  – they corral you like sheep, but you can access the internet so I guess it makes it better somehow.

Bike Fit

I consider myself somewhat of a novice when it comes to cycling, and I have been looking for a bike shop that wasn’t trying to sell me a bike that didn’t fit my needs, or run by salespeople who did not know how to talk to a crazy woman who just got off the couch 4 years ago and wanted to start cycling for fun and fitness, not for performance or racing.  I was pleased to hook up with the folks at Papa Wheelies in Portsmouth and they have been great to work with.  I made a few changes to my bike this fall to prepare me for multiple day, extended mileage and a number of climbs with the hope to recover each day and make it 3100+ miles.   In addition to a new cassette – which gives me a lower gear for climbing, I had new tires put on — they are a bit more rugged than typical road tires and hopefully will help save me from a few tire changes.

I also had a full bike fitting – which was fascinating.  The entire process took over 2 hours and Josh put me through a number of tests and assessments.   It was fun (?) to lay on a massage table in the middle of the bike shop surrounded by bikes left, right, center and from ceiling as he checked my leg resistance  and alignment from several different “poses”.  Nothing like laying on your side with your generous ham hock in the air mid aisle for all the world to see.  I brought Sweet Ruby in and we put  her on the trainer and he measured, and scoped and even used a laser level to view my alignment.  Another tool was the use of a video camera -where he collected footage when I first arrived and then after we made adjustments.    It was an investment for sure, but one which I hope will continue to pay off by providing comfort, and good form that will minimize injuries over time.

Papa Wheelies also assisted in packing and shipping the bike to San Diego through a company called Bike Flights. $70 bucks to ship her across country to Bernie’s Bike Shop- no internet for Sweet Ruby. She will be reassembled and we will be reunited tomorrow for a bit of a shake down ride before we roll out on Friday.

Josh modifying handlebars for the best fit

Sweet Ruby ready for her check up

Karen Fit

I finished up with Charlene, my personal trainer on Tuesday.  The last several months working with her has helped me to make the best of work that I do not enjoy, or am not a natural at or gifted. Please note that I once fell off the sidewalk on a walking fieldtrip and wrecked my ankle, not to mention the famous Broken Nose by softball incident in 8th grade.    Charlene made sweating fun – and I have not said that in awhile.. wink wink.   I hope all of our work will pay off and give me the strength that I need to make it up a few of those climbs.  I am built for the descent – gravity is my friend on the downhill.   But like any great reward, you have to do the hard work first, to reap the rewards.

Multiple Send Off’s, Generous Village, Overwhelmed by it all.

Over the last few weeks, I have gained a glimmer of insight into what it must be to be a rock star on their  final tour.   I promise that this is not my final tour, and I will return!   First, the send off by Joanne and Kathy that included an auction fundraiser for Make-A-Wish — WOW !  Thanks to all that shared in that day – those who donated goods and services, and to the “village people” who bought stuff they likely did not need, for twice the price!   Great job by our young, professional auctioneer, Dan Chute.  It is so great to give someone an opportunity to show their stuff – nice work Dan!     Second send off was just Saturday night, and I admittedly had to recover from a tequila shot or two that found its way down my gullet… so much for all that training… I blame Paul O.    I was so happy to see so many old friends and I thank all of you for your support.  Can someone let me know if Darren Ball ever made it out of that corner – he arrived, staked his claim in the corner and never seemed to leave his spot.

Crowd packed in at The Tomko’s

We make wishes auction. So much fun

Product and services from many generous donors

What struck me about both events is that I am so fortunate to have lived these 50 years with so many wonderful people.  All aspects of my life have been represented, not just at the send off’s- but with calls, posts, cards and hugs.  Grade School, Junior High, High School, Travel era, Payments era, Real Estate era, Twisted Sistahs, and so much  more.   My heart is full with love and gratitude to all of you, especially my sisters, Kathy and Joanne for their unwavering faith in me and love.

Alright – time to power down to land in San Diego – and the weather looks to be a hell of a lot better than home !

-Karen

It is hard to imagine that when I first signed up for this trip my countdown clock showed 568 days!   Amazing how time has the ability to creep and fly simultaneously.   Numbers are important, as it was the approach of a milestone birthday that ignited my desire to usher in 50 with a personal journey.   A journey that would challenge me, inspire me and be, very selfishly, all about me!   It looks like this upcoming trip across the southern tier of America will do all of that and more.   Based on poll results from my first blog post,  upon my return, I will likely be an expert tire changer as well.  Respondents of the poll, overwhelmingly believe I will have between 6-10 flats during my 58 day ride.  I just hope they are not all in the same day.

Thank you for the overwhelming response to my trip and to my goal to raise funds to provide New Hampshire families with special wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  I am well on my way of reaching my fundraising goal and appreciate all of your generous donations so far.    With 50 years under the hood, I have quite a selection of family (blood and extended), friends (old and new) and colleagues from across the many career chapters of my life.  I clearly am a hoarder, and am not likely to give up any of you along the way!   Lori Leblanc – a “payment” colleague, turned dearest friend was the first to respond to my call and donate!  Thank you, Lori and all of my contributors so far!

As my timeline winds down to single digits, I am preparing all aspects of my life for my sabbatical or “pause”.   Preparing to step out of your life for two months, sounds simple, but I find as it approaches, it has become quite complex.  Physically, I have increased my sessions with my personal trainer/tyrant, Charlene from Salem Athletic Club. Charlene has been patient and diligent in keeping me on track and motivated. I have benefited greatly from her expertise, encouragement and sense of humor.   Additionally, I head to the gym for interim work, and have Sweet Ruby on an indoor trainer in my loft.   Riding a stationary bike is nothing like the real thing – but it does help develop the muscle memory of your arse to seat!     I was able to get outside on Sunday and ride 10 miles which felt great — chilly, but worth every moment of it.

Personally, I have set my affairs in order, have the bills ready to go, and am worried the most about the care and feeding of my plants.   My son has proven to be capable and self-sufficient when it comes to care and feeding of self, but he has proven to be lethal to my plants.   Lori Leblanc’s reward for being the first to donate – is that she earns the title of foster parent to my plants.  On my list of to-do’s is the transfer of plants to her home!   Getting my affairs in order – has been an interesting exercise, one which I likely should have completed long ago.  I am realistic that the odds are that I will return fully intact, but I have to prepare if something was to happen.   And shit happens.

Workwise- my colleagues at W.Capra have been incredibly supportive of my journey, and will step in for me during the two months that I am rolling across the country.  I promise to leave my stuff in the best condition before I roll out.  I am most appreciative to Doug Rodewald and the partners that have generously provided me with the time to take my sabbatical.  A great group of people to work for and to work with –and they drink beer…..a perfect match!

I have assembled the gear that I need for the trip based on the recommended list, added a few other items,  removed a few items, added them back, took them out and have obsessed over it for the last 60 days.  And I anticipate that I will continue to turn it over in my brain during a few more sleepless nights.    My bike needs to be in San Diego the end of February so that the good folks at Bernie’s Bike shop can reassemble her and have her ready for pick up on arrival.   I am getting separation anxiety just thinking about it.

Next blog post I will share the story of my first ride and overcoming my terror!

-K

Please feel free to use the comments to ask any questions about the trip that you may have!

Four years ago at the urging (nagging) of a friend, I got off the couch and bought a Schwinn bicycle.  Schwinny (every bike should have a name), was a hybrid with a luxurious, comfy bike seat.  The comfy bike seat was important, because, as a whole, I am built for comfort not for speed.  And comfort is important if I was to get on the bike for a second time.  I had a great deal of anxiety on my first ride (a story for another day), but found that I enjoyed the experience – the feel of the bike, the synchronization of pedaling to movement, the challenge of a hill, and the reward of the descent.  Most of all, I enjoyed the company of old friends on a new adventure.

My riding buddies were all friends of 30 + years.  We had been through a great deal together – some we can repeat, some we will never tell.   We found we were now beyond dating, weddings, and babies and found ourselves stuck in a new routine.  Our new routine included getting together of course, but we found that we spent most of the time either a) supporting one another through difficult times as our loved ones fought medical issues, and passed on or b) got together at the annual cookout or holiday party where we drank and reminisced about our great adventures of days gone by.  We still enjoyed one another, but we were not creating new joy or happy events – we were either stuck in the tough, or in the past.  The addition of bikes and Saturday morning rides gave us a new shared experience where we created new events, and memories.  And laughter.  And sweat.  And accomplishment.  And swearing.  And the battle cry of ANGRY ASS!  (Picture: fat bottomed girl working it up a hill, and a friend encouraging from behind.  Now picture said fat bottomed girl gasping for air and laughing while chugging away at said hill thus the creation of Angry Ass!  And the naming of my blog: Angry Ass Across America).

Four years later, I ride a Specialized road bike named Sweet Ruby with a not so luxurious seat, new friends have been added to our chain gang, we ride greater distances, new tales have been added to our storytelling and I have signed on for an adventure of a lifetime.

I welcome you to my adventure and over the next two months will blog about my preparation for and events leading up to my bicycle trip across the southern tier of America.  58 days in total, 3100+ miles, 7 states, 30 women and “X” number of flat tires!  I roll out on March 7 from San Diego and my hope is to invite you along on the ride as well, as I give you a glimpse of America by the seat of my bike.

I am also using my personal journey to fund raise for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire.  Please take a moment to check out my page and story here, and if you are looking to make a charitable donation to a worthy cause in 2014, I hope you will consider making it to Make-A-Wish in support of my journey.  http://friends.wish.org/058-000/page/Karen-Coffey/Karen%27s-Cross-Country-Ride-for-Wishes.htm

Also – please forgive typos, grammar or the overuse of (side comments), and ‘s. All errors are mine, and I hope by the end of my journey you still think I am literate.

-Karen